06-11 Alton Towers Twice as Good

Today is our 2nd day of visiting Alton Towers. But first, a breakfast review.

This was our breakfast for the past few days here. Eggs, sausage, croissant, and apple juice for me. Karen usually has Coco Crispies and yogurt with her waters.



Same trip to the park as yesterday. Drive those small, windy back roads of the English countryside, park, take the monorail, show our Merlin Pass, head for our first big ride.



In case you forgot what a gorgeous castle used to exist here I've taken another picture for you.



We are heading for Oblivion this morning. This is a rather odd name for a roller coaster that they want you to remember, since "oblivion" means something like being forgotten.

Maybe YOU'RE going into oblivion and you'll be forgotten when you don't come out.



Straight Down Into OBLIVION !



So this ride goes to the top of a hill and then goes straight down into "oblivion" (just deal with it) and pops up the other side and the ride ends.



Who goes on these rides!? Uh, Karen and I. About 4 times in a row. Front seat, uh huh. Fun stuff. Now you see us...



Now you don't...



Next up, Sonic Spinball.



This was a spinning wild mouse coaster like at Chessington Park a few days ago. We like these because the ride is never the same because the coaster car spins while it goes up and down on the track. I know, I'm sorry for being so descriptive because I'm sure it makes some of you sick to your stomache.

The line for this was WAY too long. Fortunately, they had a single rider line. This means Karen and I won't be riding together.

There are about 250 people in the regular line. We go in the single rider line and there were 6 people in front of us when we get to the front of the line.

Here's how it works. The car holds 4 people. If a group of 3 wants to ride then someone from the single rider line gets the 4th seat. We waited about 10 minutes and we both were done with the ride.

Karen finished first, she got off, and was looking all over for me. I was still in the line. She finally spotted me going up the lift hill and was able to take pictures of me as I was on the ride. That's the silly old man waving his hands in the air going around a particularly fun curve.



For lunch I had ribs and Karen had a grilled chicken wrap and a baked potato

We took a walk after lunch and wandered into the Children's Ride area and took some pictures so we'd remember it. We did ride that elevated ride in the background.



Yep, not every Kiddieland has a Dungheap.



We rode coasters named Rita and Thi3teen again and then headed out of the park via the monorail.

This resort has TWO hotels that people can stay at that are close to the park. We went and visited them after getting off the monorail.

Splash Landings Hotel was connected to their water park. Walking in the lobby was like changing continents. The temperature was about 80 degrees in here. It was wonderful.





There was a walkway connecting this hotel to their other hotel. The other hotel was themed to travel. Both had easy access to the Water Park and to the Theme Park via the monorail. Great place to stay.



If you'll recall when we were in France we were on a WWII Tour out of Bayeux and we got to go through Isigny sur Mer, the original name of the Disney family (d'Isigny changed into Disney).

On our way to our hotel for this evening we were going to Norton Disney. This is home of the Disney family in England. They had come from Normandy in France with William the Conqueror and they started the town and became prominent.



Many of his ancestors are mentioned in various inscriptions inside St Peter's church in town.



Walt visited the town in 1949 looking for his roots. He may have been adopted but everyone wants to know their roots so searched he did. We find it fun to visit locations that he had been to. Zermatt, Isigny-sur-mer, and Norton Disney to name just a few.

It was fun looking at 14th century statues of Disneys and a commemorative brass plaque from 1580 lauding their loyalty to the Prince.



One last note. At Disneyland it said that the Disney Family crest is above the Disneyland Castle and it can be seen as you walk across the bridge from the Hub but before you go in the tunnel under the Castle. Here then is the REAL Norton Disney Family crest on top and the family crest at Disneyland on the bottom. On the Castle, instead of 3 flur de lees horizontally, you have the lion (from on top) recreated 3 times vertically. Almost the same, but not quite.

Norton Disney Crest



DISNEYLAND



We took our customery bazillion pictures and moved on to our hotel, Beansheef Hotel, near Flamingo Land Amusement Park.